By Chris Aldridge
Kentucky Ag News

January is National Hot Tea Month, which is fitting because nothing shakes off cold winter weather like a steaming cup of tea.

Although all but a tiny fraction of tea consumed in America is imported, you can enjoy Appalachian Proud tea grown in the mountains of eastern Kentucky from Among the Oaks Herb Farm near Beattyville. There are a few other Kentucky farms growing herbal teas, but Among the Oaks is the only one growing enough herbs to sell them in bulk.

“Everyone doesn’t have the privilege of access to land to forage or grow their own tea, and that is one of the main reasons we are passionate about growing it to share,” said farmer and sole proprietor Sarah Barney. “We use clear packaging and minimally process our herbs so that our customers can easily see the individual plants that make up each blend.

“Enjoying a cup of tea is also a good excuse to slow down and take some time for yourself,” she added. “Through this kind of daily practice, you can start to become more familiar with different herbs, and understand them and what they have to offer in a meaningful way.”

The farm sells five herbal teas year round along with seasonal varieties.

“All our tea blends are 100-percent herbs, meaning they do not contain black or green tea leaves and are therefore caffeine-free,” Barney said. “We grow all the ingredients except for the few things we can’t grow in Kentucky like cinnamon and cardamom.”

The farm’s most popular blend is called “Ease.”

“It’s a blend of lemon balm leaves and chamomile flowers with a bit of peppermint,” Barney explained. “It’s floral, citrusy, and refreshing, and quite delicious either hot or iced.”

Barney grows at least three dozen varieties of herbs on an acre of land along the North Fork of the Kentucky River near Daniel Boone National Forest.

“The herbs that we grow the most of are ginger, turmeric, calendula, and holy basil,” she said.

Barney also raises “native plants like elderberry and mountain mint, common culinary herbs like oregano and thyme, and some that the average Kentuckian probably hasn’t heard of, like ashwagandha and marshmallow,” the plant that the fluffy confection was named after.

Barney said consuming fresh herbs are best, comparing dried herbs found on the spice isle at grocery stores to tomatoes grown in a greenhouse and shipped in from another state or country.

“I often compare the value of fresh local herbs to a local tomato,” she said. “Yes, the red vegetable you buy at a supermarket in the dead of winter and at a farmers’ market in August are both tomatoes, but I have yet to meet someone who would say they can’t tell the difference. You just can’t beat the flavor, texture, and character of a fresh, soil-grown Kentucky tomato.

“Herbs are very similar, in that the more processed they are and the longer it’s been since they were harvested, they will lose more color, flavor, and vitality. Though we dry our herbs in order to preserve them for our teas, we consider them ‘freshly dried’ as they are … packaged and in our customers’ tea pots within just a few months of being harvested.”

Before starting the farm, Sarah and her husband, Chris, were research scientists. Chris studied reforestation and mycorrhizal fungus in Ecuador, while Sarah studied hummingbirds and insects on coffee farms in Mexico.

“We both grew up in Lexington and went to UK (University of Kentucky), then spent most of our 20s living in other places before returning to Kentucky in 2018,” Sarah said.

The 50-acre Among the Oaks farm only has about eight acres of farmland. The Barneys maintain a small orchard of apple and Asian pear trees, and aronia berry bushes, and a flock of ducks and laying chickens.

“We occasionally offer eggs at our small roadside stand,” Sarah said, “but we usually just keep them for ourselves.”

The farm is more than a way to make a living. Its broader mission is to help people connect with the land and form deeper relationships with plants.

“There is a very deep history of humans foraging, growing, and working with plants, and I believe that rekindling that relationship can be very fulfilling and healing,” she said. “Enjoying herbal tea can be one of many tools to do this.”

Sarah said only a small fraction of the herbs that Americans consume are grown domestically. But, she added, that is changing.

“We are part of a growing movement of new herb farms across the U.S., determined to grow vibrant, domestic herbs for the many herbal products that are manufactured and consumed here,” Sarah said. “Though Kentucky has a rich history of herbalism, especially in Appalachia, a lot of knowledge and practices have been lost in the last few decades.

“There is definitely a resurgence of interest in herbs in the state, in part due to a growing interest in preventative and holistic health,” she added. “Still, the average Kentuckian is not very familiar with herbs, and this is one of the more challenging aspects of our business.”

The best way to enjoy Among the Oak’s freshest herbs is enrolling in a herbal CSA, which stands for community supported agriculture. The deadline to sign up is Feb. 1 to receive a quarterly share of herbs, teas, and other value-added products direct from the farm.

“In 2021, we had 35 CSA subscribers and are hoping to get up to 50 for 2022,” Barney said. “It is in collaboration with another farm in Rockcastle County and is a fun way for us to share specialty seasonal products that we don’t offer anywhere else, like small batch tea blends, mushroom seasoning blends, and more.

“Community is a very important part of this offering. Alongside our quarterly distribution, we also host an event at one of our farms for folks to get to know each other and learn more about herbs and how to use them.”

You can purchase an herbal CSA subscription or order herbs through the mail at AmongTheOaksFarmstead.com/shop.